Boat-launching carriage



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

- H. J. WOODS.

BOAT LAUNGHING CARRIAGE.

Patented Oct. 2, 1888.

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(No Model.) H J WOODS 3 SheetsSheet 2.

BOAT LAUNOHING CARRIAGE. No. 390,543. Patented Oct. 2, 1888.

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N. PETERS. Phoic-Lilhagraplmr. Washingwu. 0.0.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

H. J. WOODS.

BOAT LAUNGHING CARRIAGE.

Patented Oct. 2, 1888;

N. PETERS. Phnlc-Uihngrzlpllcr. Washmgten, ay 0.

Aren't rrren.

HENRY J. \VOODS, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

BOAT-LAUNCHING CARRIAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,543, dated October 2, 1888.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. Woons, a citizen of the United Statcs,residing at Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boat Launching Oarriages; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompany ing drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in carriages for life or other boats, by means of which they may be easily drawn from the water and readily launched therein.

The object of this invention is to provide a means whereby life-boats and other craft can be expeditiously transferred'from their moorings down an incline into the water and returned to their original place with much greater case than has been done by any other method; and the invention consists in constructing an iron carriage provided with a series of rollers onto which the boat is run, and also having another series of rollers which run on trackslaid on theinclined plane constituting the floor from the boat-house to the water, together with a system of side rollers for keeping the boat in a perpendicular position when resting on the carriage; and the invention also consists in the arrangement and mechanism for holding the boat in place when in the boat-house and the means adapted for relieving the boat when it has reached the water, all ofwhich will be fully described,and pointed out in the following specification and claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the carriage, shown on the inclined plane. Fig. 2 isa plan view of the carriage complete. Figs. 3.and 4 are an enlarged elevation and plan of the catch for holding the boat on the carriage and also for releasing the same. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side and front elevation of rollers on the sides of the carriage at the front end. Fig. 6 is an enlarged side and front elevation of center rollers on side of carriage. Figs. 7 8, and 9 show a side, end, and plan view of the devices arranged for holding a boat with a wooden keel upon the carriage, a cam being substituted for the locking catch-bolt shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 10 is a transverse section of the carriage on line 00 0c of Fig. 2, showing the manner in which the bottom of a boat is supported on said carriage.

A A represent two longitudinal bars of angle-iron placed parallel and a short distance from each other, the inside edges of which are the perpendicular sides of the same. These bars are placed sufficiently far apart to allow the keel of the boat to be guided between them without binding. These angleiron bars carry two series of rollers, 13 and C, which are pivoted to suitable braces fastened to the under side of the angle-iron. The series of rollers B are those on which the boat rests,and which project sufficiently far up in between the angle-irons to clear all the plates which connect the frame together. The series of rollers O are those which carry the frame and run on a center track of iron, X, laid on the inclined floor of the ways. To the under side of the longitudinal angle-irons A A are secured the plates D E and cross-bar F.

G G represent two axle-bars, preferably made of square iron. To each side of these bars is fastened an angleiron, H, the upper flanges of which are on a horizontal plane and flush with the top of the axles, making a flat wide surface on the upper face. These axles are securely fastened by bolts or rivets to the under side of the plates D and at right angles to thebars A A. The outer ends of these axles are provided with wheels I I, the bottoms of which are on the same plane as roller (3 and run on an iron track laid on the floor, but not shown in the drawings. The wheels I are provided with a lip or flange on the inside edge of each. This lip runs in a groove formed in the floor,and is used for the purpose of keeping the carriage moving in a straight line when launching a boat or when returning it to its original place.

On the upper surface of the angle-iron H are securely fastened on each side two angleiron bars, K K, the inside webs of which are perpendicular and placed the necessary distance apart to receive the side brackets and rollers which keep the boat in a perpendicular position. These brackets and rollers are shown in enlarged views in Figs. 5 and 6.

The bar F is securely fastened to the under side of the longitudinal bars A and K, and is for the purpose of giving stability to the center body of the carriage.

The brace-rods L, as shown in Fig. 2, are secured at one end to the plates E, which are fastened to the under side of the central bars, A, and at the other end either to the axle or to the bars H, which are fastened thereto. These brace-rods are for the purpose of rigidly keeping the front and rear ends of the longitudinal bars A A from deviating to either side.

Fig. 6 shows an enlarged view of side rollers used for the purpose of keeping the boat in a vertical position after it is returned to its place on the carriage.

m represents a casting provided with perpendicular slots, so as to enable the rollers N to be raised or lowered to suit the formation of different boats. The rollers N are journaled in a movable bracket, 0, which oscillates on the pin a. The casting m is provided with a groove on each side, into which the pin a is placed. This casting, as shown in end elevation, Fig. 6, is provided with an inclined slot in the center, the object of which is to allow the roller to receive the greatest angle toward the center of the boat, so as to accommodate itself to the different forms of the hull while keeping the rollers from diverging from a horizontal line outward from the boat. This bracket m is secured between the angle-irons K in center of the carriage by bolts, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 also shows an enlarged view of the side rollers, P, and casting or bracket Q, the position of which is shown in Fig. 2 at Q. This casting is securely bolted between the angleirons K, the roller inclining somewhat toward the center of the carriage. The object of placing this roller opposite the front wheels is for the purpose of protecting the boat from injury in the event of its careening over when partially in the water and before it is fully released from the carriage. The roller being considerably higher than the wheels I, should the boat careen it would come in contact with the roller, and consequently would not be damaged thereby. The rollers N and P are prcferably made of wood and covered with a casing of rubber.

R (see Figs. 1 and 2) represents the position of catch secured to the center bars, A A, and is used for holding the boat in place when moved and for releasing the same when in the act of launching. Enlarged views of this catch are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. R is the main casting, and is fastened to the angle-iron bars by bolts or rivets at b. This casting is formed with tapered sides for the purpose of guiding the keel to the center. One of these sides S is provided with a dovetailed groove, 0, from top to bottom. This is for the purpose of inon one side and flat on the other, the object of which is to enable the boat as it is hauled into its place to automatically thrust back the catch.

U is a lever pivoted at d to the main casting. The upper end of this lever is pivoted to the catch T, while thelower end is provided with a hole through which passes the spindle V. One end of this spindle is bifurcated or provided with doublejaws e e, and the opposite end with a nut or collar, 0, securely fastened thereto.

W is a spiral spring inserted between the lever U and a projection of the solid casting R.

Y Y are two links, both pivoted at one end to the jaws e e. The outer ends of these links are pivoted to the under side of the casting B. One of the links Y is provided with a slot at m, which is guided on a pin or bolt secured to the casting It.

Z is a hole in the casting, to which a rope or other device can be attached for the purpose of hauling the carriage from the water up into its place, and n is an eye provided on the outer end of one of the links Y, to which is attached a rope or other device for disengaging the catch when the boat is in the act of being launched.

In operating this device the carriage is run down the inclined floor and is partially submerged in the water. The boat is then run onto the carriage, the keel of which travels on the rotating roller B. On reaching the upper end the keel forces back the catch T, compresses the spring WV, and passes on, the side of the keel of the boat being provided with a hole suitable for the catch. When the boat reaches this position, the catch is immediately released, and by the action of thespiral spring is forced into the opening, which holds the boat securely in its place. Suitable means are then employed by attaching a rope or other device to the casting R for hauling by said rope the carriage, with its load, up the incline. Either a Windlass, rope and tackle, or other device may beused,and-manual or other power, to operate it.

In launching the boat a rope is attached securely to a ring or cleat fastened to the floor, and is loosely coiled by its side. The other end of this rope is attached to a link Y at the eye a, and is of sufficient length that when the carriage has descended the incline and the boat has reached its proper place the line or rope becomes taut and draws the links from the position shown in Fig. 4 to a straight line. This action compresses the spring W and releases the catch from the side of the boat, and by the momentum the boat has already received in its progress down the incline it shoots clear of the carriage and into the water with considerable speed.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 of the drawings a cam, T, is substituted for the catch-bolt T, and is intended for use with boats having wooden keels, the bite of the cam upon the wood being sufficient to retain the boat in position upon the carriage, although it would be liable to slip upon the iron keels now in common use and with which the catchbolt is preferred,

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following:

1. As an improvement in boat launching carriages, the combination of the central longitudinal ways provided with rollers to receive the boats keel, the sidewheels provided with supporting-wheels, and wheels or rollers bearing upon the sides of the boat to preserve its equilibrium, and an engaging and disengaging bolt to retain the boat in position upon the carriage when desired, all constructed and operatingsubstantially as shown and described.

2. In a boat-launching carriage, the combi- .nation of the central longitudinal ways pro vided with rollers to receive the boats keel, the side brackets provided with the supporting-wheels, and wheels or rollers bearing upon the sides of the boat to preserve its equilibrium, and the metallic plate R, jointed to the central longitudinal bars or ways, provided with inclined jaws S, and a spring-operated holding-bolt, T, arranged to retain the boat in posit-ion upon the carriage until it reaches the water, as set forth.

'3. In a boat-launching carriage, the frame consisting of the central longitudinal ways provided with rollers for the reception of the keel of the boat, the side longitudinal bars pro-' vidcd with rollers to support the boat and supported by rollers, the transverse bars securing the longitudinal bars in position, the plate R, attached to the central longitudinal bars, its inclined jaws S, and the removable piece in serted into the dovetail groove 0 of the springoperated locki ng-loolt T, all arranged as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a boat-launching carriage, the frame consisting of the central longitudinal bars car rying rollers for the boats keel to run upon and rollers to support the frame, the side longitu dinal bars supported upon rollers and carrying adjustable rollers for supporting the sides of the boat, the plates D, for securing the longitudi nal and transverse bars together, and the plate E, holding the central longitudinal bars in po sition, in combination with the spring-operated bolt T and the links YY, arranged in the manner described for withdrawing the bolt,

substantially as set forth.

5. In a carriage for boats, the combination of the central longitudinal bars forming ways for the keel, the side longitudinal bars carrying adj nstable supports for holding the boat in an upright position, the transverse bars uniting the longitudinal bars, the plates D, for firmly uniting the transverse and longitudinal bars, the plates E, for holding the two central barsin their relative positions, and the braces L, all arranged substantially as set forth.

6. In a launchingcarriage for boats, the combination of the longitudinal side bars with the adjustable brackets carrying oscillating rollers at their upper end for keeping the boat in an upright position, substantially as set forth.

7. In a launching-carriage for beats, the combination,with the frame, ofthe inclined oscillating rollers NV, and the inclined rollers P, attached to the longitudinal side bars, K, to keep the boat on an even keel, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereofI afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY J. WOODS.

\Vitnesses:

KATIE E. DELANTY, JAMES C. MOLAUGHLIN. 

